We had a 2005 Prado Grande,(pre common rail diesel) and would not touch one ever again. Fabulous vehicle ruined by a gutless, thirsty engine.
Whatever type of diesel you go for, make sure it is a "modern" common rail diesel. This will give good performance and good fuel figures. (including Toyota)
As for caravan/campervan, whatever suits your needs.
Once again we had a new Jayco Heritage, would never buy anything with that name on it again, but there are a lot of people very happy with them. Otherwise they would not be the top selling caravan manufacturer in Australia. Probably over represented in the secondhand market, though?
Dusty
-- Edited by Landfall on Saturday 28th of January 2012 02:54:39 PM
We are just starting to get ourselves organised and are seeking some advice
we are planning to buy a Prado. but petrol or diesel? I've heard some horror stories about dirty diesel and the associated repair costs.
Can anybody recommend a make of van we are thinking of a 21 ft with shower and separate toilet. Jayco would seem to be the biggest manufacturer. But are they the best.
we would like to get in to some of the National Parks up Nth and out West. Should we looking at an off road van we do not intend to do any real 4WDing with the van on. But would most definitely get onto dirt roads
I can't answer all your questions but the one's that I can are only my own personal experience and my own opinions. There will be many varied answers and it's just up to you to decide which is best for you.
1. We opted for diesel for the higher torque at low revs and the fuel economy not to mention the pulling power.
2. We chose a Jurgens Lunagazer 21ft separate shower and toilet. The finish in this van was far superior to many of the other vans we looked at and we also like how "roomy" it is inside. In short it suited all our requirements at a price we could afford.
3. Can't really answer that one to any great degree. We have a 4wd tug but just an ordinary tandem axle van. We have taken it on some pretty rough roads but not what would be termed 4 wheel driving tracks. We have never had any problems.
Hope this helps a little bit. As I said this is just what suits us and the final choice is individual.
Hi and welcome to the site. I'm no expert but I have recently changes van and vehicle for the same reason. I do wish to go to National parks but no over hill and mountain terrain for me. I have an AWD and a normal van. I'm told by veterans that there are many places you can go with that setup. Stones and potholes are always a problem I know as I lived on rough dirt roads for 25 yrs but we never had a 4w or AWD in all that time. I'm hoping I can see quite a bit of this beautiful country with my set up. I would like to take some sort of bed in the back or tent set up for the odd time I might want to head really off road. I thought it might be more cost effective for me to join a tour for those occasions rather than invest the money in the vehicles for everyday use. A lot of trial an error I think with this stuff. I have friends who have a paradox and a jayco camper van and they have had that setup for a number of years now and feel they don't need to change. Others however are on their 4 th and 5 th rig, go figure??? Good luck with your choice and enjoy. Tess
We are just starting to get ourselves organised and are seeking some advice
we are planning to buy a Prado. but petrol or diesel? I've heard some horror stories about dirty diesel and the associated repair costs. I would always choose a diesel (preferably turbo) for towing. Unless you are obtaining your fuel from drums (or are extremely unlucky) pump diesel is very rarely dirty these days. Having said that, ALWAYS keep filters, both air, oil and fuel filters changed - personally I do all filters twice as often as the manufacturer suggests.
Can anybody recommend a make of van we are thinking of a 21 ft with shower and separate toilet. Jayco would seem to be the biggest manufacturer. But are they the best. This question begs an emotive answer. There are SOOOO many different manufacturers making vans and an incredible variety of styles/designs/floorplans. The 'best' van is one that suits what you want, by a manufacturer of some longevity and reputation. Jayco is biggest selling brand - and I have met many more who love their Jayco compared to those who complain about them. I don't have one and probably would not buy one - emotional decision.
we would like to get in to some of the National Parks up Nth and out West. Should we looking at an off road van we do not intend to do any real 4WDing with the van on. But would most definitely get onto dirt roads. If you intend doing a fair bit of "dirt road" travel then it is wise to get a van that has been designed to handle these conditions. "Dirt roads" "up north and out west" will have corrugations, bulldust potholes, stones and will test the underneath and suspension of most vans. Whilst there is no need to get a "full Off-Road' van - one that can handle being off sealed roads for extended periods is wise. (My van is a black-top tourer and I just stay on black-top with van and take my tent into 'off-road' places.
any input wiill be very gratefully accepted.
the seagull
Gday...
And in addition to my comments above, many others will give their advice from experience.
Oh yeah - and welcome to the GN Forum - there is much to learn from this mob - a good lot.
Cheers
John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I have heard lots of good stuff and lots of bad about towing vans on dirt roads and can only add to the debate by saying, make sure there is a proper chassis under whatever you opt for.Too many only have an "A"frame that only goes a short way under the 'van.
Make sure it has a decent flooring system to take the rougher surfaces with a decent frame.
my first 4x4 was a petrol prado and will never get another, towed about 22l/100k's city was not much better, diesel may be better. i would look at a 3l nissan patrol, dirty fuel can happen at anytime and expensive to fix (fuel pump upto $8000, injectors $250 each) put saying that diesel is the way to go IF you can get 1 with very low km's
Hello Seagull I have a 2006 prado T/b charged with a chip towing a 20'6" Champion Maiya full size caravan with a tare weight of 2160 kg which with the 400 kg allowance just puts it overweight so we are upsizing tug to the new ford ranger 5 cylinder t/b diesel and a towing capacity of 3350kg, so if you are after a 21 ft van make sure the tare is under 2100kg or else the prado cannot tow it. champion caravans are at www.championcaravans.com Ken
With the governemt phasing out unleaded in the near future in NSW, you can be asured that the others will follow the trend. premium is dearer than diesel so there is but one choice, go diesel .
As for bad fuel etc, follow the golden rule, IF a tanker is at a servo filling under ground tanks then drive on to the next, as fuel is droped into a tank it stirs up all the dirt/water etc, that is in the bottom of their tanks & thats where most problems arise, unless you are using drum fuel in remote areas then you need to check it before putting it in your tank.
JC.
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Be your self; there's no body better qualified ! "I came into this world with nothing , I still have most of it"
Afraid I cannot be on much help except to say hello and welcome. We decided on secondhand car and van. We could not justify wasting money every year on a big insurance bill. We decided on a falcon that we use in our everyday use and tow our 1998 jayco caravan. Fantastic and very pleased we made this choice and saved heaps of money on initial purchases and then every year on insurances. We go see the same places, have everything we want in a van and car and we are happy little vegemites. Hope you find a car and van that suits you also. good luck. rocket n strop
Hi and welcome. Have you been to any of the caravan camping shows in Melbourne? They are a great place to look at vans and see what there is out there. Everyone is different so personal choice to suit yourselves and your own budget will come into play. You will however get great advice on here though.
Welcome Seagull, I only have a Avan Camper being towed by a Toyota Prado gas/petrol, the tug is an addition as of this week only so I can't really comment on vans etc. A friend of mine has just come back from going around the block and he and his wife have a Prado and Avan 21 ft caravan with en-suite and were extremely happy with the performance of both and had no problems.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
We are just starting to get ourselves organised and are seeking some advice
we are planning to buy a Prado. but petrol or diesel? I've heard some horror stories about dirty diesel and the associated repair costs.
Can anybody recommend a make of van we are thinking of a 21 ft with shower and separate toilet. Jayco would seem to be the biggest manufacturer. But are they the best.
we would like to get in to some of the National Parks up Nth and out West. Should we looking at an off road van we do not intend to do any real 4WDing with the van on. But would most definitely get onto dirt roads
any input wiill be very gratefully accepted.
the seagull
.
Hello Seagull. Answers all depend on what you intend doing with your 'life'
In our situation, we opted for a 2nd hand tow vehicle, a 2003 Nissan Patrol (diesel) as are no emission controls on these vehicles. We bought a 03 4.2 tdi Nissan Patrol, with a tow capacity of 3.5t. Your question about dirty fuel is irrevelent (we purchased dirty petrol (not diesel) only 10 k from home). Be aware of where you buy your diesel fuel from eg. recently flooded areas, quiet areas, run down servos. If they have dirty diesel, you can guarantee they have dirty diesel.
The choice of tow vehicle should not be made until you have decided on your van
Choice of van is a personal decision. Some major deciding points are whether your van is for short term holidays, longer term touring, or a permanent on the road travel - black top or dirt - not forgettint payload. Some of the lower cost vans, only give 400 kg payload, which is fine for a 2 week holiday, however, not unacceptable for long term living.
In response to your third question, last year, we went to Birdsville Races, which is not (these days) a major off-road destination - as little as 200k of gravel driving depending on the direction from which you travel. We were surprised at the number of vans with suspension problems due to being taken off the black top. You get what you pay for. If you pay $60K for a 21 footer with shower & toilet you can only drive it on the black top for a 2 - 4 week holiday every year, again, repeat, you get what you pay for.
We chose a 21ft Kedron ATV (with complete ensuite) as our permantent home, but again, you get what you pay for.
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Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
I'm in the diesel club too. I purchased my (manual) Pajero in 2003 and I've been very happy with it. I've not had any dirty diesel fuel problems but on one occasion (in my previous vehicle) I picked up a load of dirty unleaded at Tobermorey Station (on the Qld/NT border) that gave me some aggravation. I've heard it said that in remote locations more diesel is sold than petrol and therefore less likely to be a problem. Auto-gas is often unavailable "off the beaten track"
Back in the early 2000s I did several tag-alongs to remote locations over some seriously corrugated roads and I noticed that the camper trailers that were fitted with independent suspension, coil springs, and shock absorbers, gave their contents a much smoother ride than the basic setups like my (at the time) tent trailer. That may or may not be relevant to the larger rigs discussed here.
Ground clearance would be an issue too if planning to go off the blacktop. I've seen some rigs with such poor departure angles that it's a wonder they don't ground out on going over a speed hump let alone getting into servo drive or a caravan park site.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 29th of January 2012 08:46:56 AM
If you pay $60K for a 21 footer with shower & toilet you can only drive it on the black top for a 2 - 4 week holiday every year, again, repeat, you get what you pay for.
We chose a 21ft Kedron ATV (with complete ensuite) as our permantent home, but again, you get what you pay for.
Not all vans you pay $60k for with a toilet and shower have to stay on the black top Dunmowin, ours certainly doesn't and yes I agree you get what you pay for that's why we got the one we did. You have to be like Sherlock Holmes when buying a van and look into every little nook and cranny to make sure you are getting the best product for your money. We did.
-----SNIPPED----- If you pay $60K for a 21 footer with shower & toilet you can only drive it on the black top for a 2 - 4 week holiday every year, again, repeat, you get what you pay for.
Gday...
Interesting comments. My 'black-top tourer' is a 23ft, shower/toilet/washing machine etc, original cost $60,000, and it has been the permanent home and travelled a bit more than 35,000km over the past three years. Absolutely trouble-free.
The 400kg 'payload limit' has not been a problem but perhaps only carrying essentials in the van and utilising the tug's capacity for things like generator helps.
Cheers
John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I'd pick diesel every time. I won't take my van off-road ever, and on open-surface dirt roads, a little bit. I think the vegemite would be shaken out of the cupboard on corrugations, and it has. I have never had a problem with dirty diesel, but I did confuse Voltron bowsers and added about 40 litres of Voltron unleaded to my tank. Needless to say it didn't go good for very long. Not a biggy. Drained fuel tanks, new filters, new diesel, and away I went. Everything you're considering is personal choice. Solid van, pop-top, size, durability. Mind you everyone claims to build the biggest and best. Choose carefully taking everything everyone else here has advised. Jayco is the biggest seller because they build more vans, sell them cheaper than the others, so the turn-over is higher, and so are the problems. Quality is questioned often. There are so many options. Aluminium or firbreglass body, aluminium, steel or timber frame. Size does matter in this case. Storage space, weight, length, tug capabilities, shower, toilet, rear kitchen, front kitchen, mid-kitchen, double bed, single beds, long-term or short-term journeys. If you go camping it's different than vanning. I live in mine full time, parked in a van park. I travel with my car for work. I've added an awning to my car as the "spare room", and use a covered camp bed. The awning is an Indigo. Check out the website. I'm stoked with mine. It's self-contained, with the poles included in the structure rather than separate. I'm a solo traveller so I don't favour juggling awning and poles when I set up and pack up. The awning can have walls attached and only weighs about 10-12kgs. You heard it all here folks. You choose.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
It weighs 8 ks CG. Thats without the walls. Haven't looked into them yet.
Had mine mearly fitted last weekend when S in L realised he would ned to get longer screws than the ones supplied. Then went out of town for work all week. Still waiting but know he wil lget back to it.
It will work out. I was happy with my screws. (No comment from the Wombat or anyone else). I suppose in your case the bolts need to go through the roof of Myrtle. Be patient. It's a hard job by himself, so you will probably have to help when he does it. It does feel like 10 kgs first thing in the morning. Feels like about 5 kgs when I set it up. Weight training. The only wall I'd think about adding would maybe be some shade cloth on the outside wall for shelter and shade. I can't be bothered with walls. Besides, I do have a tent for bigger camping jobs.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
It said 8kgs on the packaging when it arrived CG, so that must mean with the cardboard box.
S in L has worked out a way because it does go into the fibreglass of the roof so need to be longer to accommodate two screws. One self tightening to the roof, one that tightens back to the awning backing.
I was helping him the other day, holding it up there and sliding as needed while he worked it all out. I try to do everything I can to be of help as he does a lot in the very little time he has off work. Daughters 29th birthday tomorrow so with him going to work they would have had some quality time today.
I had an 08 Pardo Diesel Auto. The engine block and pistons were replaced at 9700km. The cause for the replacement was the block leaking coolant under the number one cylinder exhaust outlet whilst under pressure. Generally the Pardo common rail diesel is a very good vehicle. I towed a 19.5 ft Jayco Heritage with the Pardo without any trouble.
In relation which caravan. mate do your own research. Our opinions can have helpful and by all means take them on board. There are so many vans on the market to choose from. My advice for what its worth is purchase your tow vehicle first, then select a van that will allow you safely tow it where ever you want to travel.
I've chosen a Prado as my brother works at Toyota and as such family(me) can buy vehciles tyhrough him 21% off, Making it a no brainer.
We have done the Caravan & Camping Shows ( and will continue to do so).
That's how we have decided on the size and configuration of the van.
But with so many vans on the market I no sure.
We will not be doing a lot of off the black stuff. but we will be on dirt roads at times. Thats why my question re an off road van.
We have a jayco camper which in 1984 went around the block pulled by a HZ Holdewn Wagon and we took both of them places that people thought we coudl not. The camaper is still strong going today and we have over the years changed cars.
But then like cars the older ones were often built to last. Not like todays disposalable lifestyles.
The van we settle on will be 2nd hand van, but we are looking now just to see whats about.
The trip is not for another few years but we are starting our research.
We've travelled about 250,000km over the past 13 years - some of it quite remote. Never had a problem with diesel fuel from anywhere. Would only have a diesel vehicle for touring. Only issue that has cropped up a couple of times is pulling into a remote place for fuel, and finding out there has been a big tag-a-long party through and fuel is out. That's why we carry a spare 25L jerry can.
Take your time Seagull, hunting for the van which best suits your needs. Compare, check and compare again. It took me 18 months to find the van of the layout and price I wanted, and I bought it on Ebay. All the best, and take your time. It's your investment.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
